Now, while the latter may not actually be applicable for everywhere (though you should take this season as an opportunity to show off anything you choose to regardless), I am certain that everyone reading this is down to appreciate the combining of both #1 and #2 into a single concept: literary tattoos. Namely, literary tattoos from works written by female authors like Sylvia Plath, Joyce Carol Oates, J.K. Rowling and Jane Austen, among many others. We scoured Pinterest and all across the Internet for the world’s most wondrous literary tattoos based on female writers’ work, and goodness, there are so many great ones.

I myself have tattoos from stories by two out of the three preceding names; you’ll just have to scroll down to find out which ones! And of course to check out some of the absurdly incredible body art that people have had done in honor of these writers’ profound, wise and beautiful writings, because that’s what you’re here for, o’course.

Let’s start off with a tattoo from a quote somebody whom we all should honor: Maya Angelou. The prolific poet, author and activist is one of the most important literary and cultural figures of the twentieth century; she’s endlessly quotable in her wisdom. And I don’t know about you guys, but this particular one gives me goosebumps.

The eyeball tattoo is unreal, and the fact that it’s inspired by such an incredible novel only makes it that much better.

4. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

I had this done about four or five years ago, as I detailed in this post on the book. I layered it with Saul Williams‘ writing, as I think they evoke similar emotions on many themes despite having wildly different voices.

One of her most famous set of lines, “Out of the ash/I rise with my red hair/And I eat men like air” is final stanza of Sylvia Plath’s prolific poem, “Lady Lazarus.” And check out the befitting red hair atop the wearer’s head!

Click to the next page to see more beautiful, inspiring literary tattoos including a (NSFW) one inspired by Virginia Woolf, another that utilizes art and quotes from Toni Morrison’s Beloved, and my own Joyce Carol Oates tattoo.